British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that his government is exploring the idea of implementing stricter anti-smoking measures, including the possibility of banning smoking in outdoor areas such as pub gardens and restaurant patios. This consideration follows reports from the Sun newspaper about discussions on prohibiting outdoor smoking in various public spaces like hospital grounds, university campuses, and sports facilities.
The hospitality industry has voiced opposition to the potential ban, expressing concerns over government intervention and its impact on their financial situation. Despite the smoking ban inside pubs, restaurants, and most workplaces since 2007, smoking-related health issues continue to strain the National Health Service, costing England over 2.5 billion pounds annually, as per NHS data.
During a visit to French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Starmer emphasized the necessity to address smoking-related deaths, which claim over 80,000 lives each year. The Labour government, in power since July, plans to reintroduce legislation from the previous Conservative administration aimed at gradually raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco until it becomes illegal for all adults in England.
Deborah Arnott, the chief executive of health charity ASH, supports the government’s efforts to deter smoking among the younger population by bringing back this bill. While endorsing the potential extension of smoke-free laws to outdoor spaces, she highlights the importance of preserving specific outdoor areas for smokers, rather than pushing them inside their homes.
Although many countries have already implemented bans on indoor smoking, expanding these restrictions to outdoor areas, particularly at bars and restaurants, is less common. Despite a significant decline in smoking rates in the UK since the 1970s, approximately 6.4 million people—13% of the population—still smoke, according to official figures.
While the healthcare sector generally welcomes the proposed outdoor smoking ban, critics argue that it infringes on personal freedoms and poses additional challenges to businesses amid the economic strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis. With pub closures on the rise, industry leaders like Michael Kill from the Night Time Industries Association and pub entrepreneur Clive Watson express concerns about the potential impact on customer behavior and the viability of businesses.
